Wieber shows 'fighting spirit,' looks ahead to team finals

Jul. 30, 2012

Jul 29, 2012; London, United Kingdom; USA women's gymnast Jordyn Wieber on the floor exercise during the women's team competition qualification round in the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

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Lansing State Journal

LONDON — A day later, Bela Karolyi continued to fume in the wake of U.S. gymnast Jordyn Wieber missing the cut for the individual all-around final.

“What a travesty!” Karolyi said in an NBC interview with Al Michaels. “How someone can afford to cut one of the best gymnasts?”

Wieber, the reigning world champion, had the fourth-best score in Sunday’s team qualifying, but teammates Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas finished ahead of her. Countries are limited to two eligible gymnasts for the all-around final, so Wieber is out.

“But that is not the reason. How can it be a reason?” Karolyi said of the rule. “To eliminate somebody because a teammate beat her. Still among the first four gymnasts in the world, and still you’re eliminated?”

Karolyi also reiterated that he was “troubled” by the fact that Wieber did not go last in any of the events.

He criticized the lineups right after competition Sunday, saying Wieber is the “anchor” of the team and should have gone last on floor because judges often give higher scores to the final performer on an apparatus.

But John Geddert, the U.S. head coach and Wieber’s personal coach, said the lineups were not an issue. The coaches and team coordinator Martha Karolyi – Bela’s wife – decided to put the strongest performer in each event last in that event.

According to Bela Karolyi, Martha Karolyi said of the decision: “I protected the team before anyone.”

“I think she’s right in a way,” Bela Karolyi said. “The team gold is very important. It shows the power of the nation. I can accept that.”

And now it’s critical that Wieber rebounds emotionally if the Americans are going to win it for the first time since 1996.

Karolyi said he believes Wieber’s “anger and frustration will come out” and help her give a focused performance Tuesday night.

“I know her enough to say, she’s a strong person,” Karolyi said. “She’s suffering here, she’s hurt. … I can’t wait to see her. I can see her fighting spirit. I can see her with her teammates embracing the moment.”

Wieber could have used some time with her family Sunday night, but the best she could do inside the Olympic Village was share tears over the phone with her mother, Rita.

Inside that Village, the Wieber recovery mission is under way.

“You can’t focus on the negative, you’ve got to stay positive, like ‘I’m going to go to team finals. I’m going to dominate this,’” Douglas said. “We’re still planning on pumping each other up since this is kind of like a heartbreak day for some, and I hope it will go well.”

Wieber did not speak after the competition, though USA Gymnastics later released a statement in which she said she was “a bit disappointed” at not making the final.

But Geddert and brother Ryan Wieber both used the word “devastated” to describe her.

Today will be about repairing that psyche so Wieber can help the team.

“I feel bad for Jordyn,” said Raisman’s coach, Mihai Brestyan. “(But) we need Jordyn up, she’s very important to the team. We need to keep them focused.”